U.S. efforts to speed natural gas exports as a way to loosen Russia’s grip on European energy supplies may be thwarted by lengthy reviews and developer reluctance to proceed with multibillion-dollar projects.

Oil prices fell as the flash HSBC Purchasing Managers' Index for April fell to 50.5 in April from 51.6 the month before as new export orders shrank in China. The long-term natural gas story is getting out.